Euro kings at Liverpool, Wijnaldum & Fabinho face off in Asia battle | OneFootball

Georginio Wijnaldum and Fabinho know a thing or two about continental club football.

As teammates for Liverpool, they were pivotal to the Reds’ UEFA Champions League success in 2019, partnering in midfield in the final in Madrid against fellow Premier League side, Tottenham Hotspur.

Combined, they played 141 UEFA Champions League fixtures across their European careers, plus another 38 in the UEFA Europa League, mostly as teammates at Liverpool between 2018 and 2021.

Great friends off the pitch, it’s continental competition of another kind that they're chasing this season. But, instead of allying to form a ruthlessly effective midfield pairing as they did on Merseyside, this time they are pitted against each other.

With two rounds remaining of the 2025-26 Roshn Saudi League, Fabinho’s Al Ittihad and Wijnaldum’s Al Ettifaq are chasing securing Asian football for their respective clubs for next season.

The expansion of the AFC Champions League Elite from 24 to 32 teams has seen the RSL’s quota for the continent’s lead club competition grow from three to five.

And, with Al Hilal winning this season’s King’s Cup, it means those who finish from first to fifth will qualify for next year’s ACL Elite, while sixth place will take up the solitary spot reserved for the AFC Champions League Two.

With the title race reduced - belatedly - to a two-horse race, the Asian expansion has added an extra dimension to the battle for spots inside the RSL top six, with only the top three guaranteed a direct spot into the AFC Champions League Elite group stage (fourth and fifth enter a play-off).

Currently occupying sixth and seventh places respectively, and with only three points separating the two, Al Ittihad and Al Ettifaq are part of a three-way battle with Al Taawoun vying for the final two Asian berths for 2026-27.

Self-evidently, three into two doesn’t go, so one team will be left disappointed come the conclusion of the campaign next Thursday.

As they did for Liverpool, Fabinho and Wijnaldum, who both captain their Saudi clubs, have more than played their part in otherwise mixed seasons for Al Ittihad and Al Ettifaq.

Wijnaldum has been a beast for Al Ettifaq, registering a career-best 22 goal contributions (16 goals and six assists). Once again, he has led the way for Saad Al Shehri’s side as they make a late charge for continental football after a slower-than-expected start to 2026.

A run of one win in seven from late February through to mid-April might prove their downfall, with costly defeats against lower-ranked teams such as Al Riyadh, Al Fayha and Al Hazem.

Even picking up just a few victories from those would have thrust them firmly into the box seat for a return to continental football for the first time since 2012, when they made the semi-final of the old AFC Cup - the precursor to what is now known as ACL Two.

Fabinho, meanwhile, has been ever-reliable in what has been a season of transition for Al Ittihad. Coming into 2025-26 as the RSL’s defending champions, their quest to retain the trophy never really got going.

And, with a change in manager and the loss of key personnel such as Karim Benzema mid-season, their Brazil international took on an even greater leadership role.

Like Al Ettifaq, there have been games where Al Ittihad have left points on the table that might otherwise have them better placed. However, even with the inconsistency, Fabinho has been one of their most consistent performers.

Ranked inside the top 10 in the league for passes this season (1,595), and with the best success rate for passes inside the opposition half (90.5%), Fabinho’s importance clearly stretches beyond wearing the armband. Whatever the outcome this season, the Al Ittihad skipper can hold his head high.

On Thursday, he’ll be staring right across at Wijnaldum when Al Ettifaq host Al Ittihad on the opening night of Matchweek 33. Certainly, the personal on-pitch battle between the two Liverpool luminaries will be crucial in determining which club emerges with Asian aspirations improved heading into the season's final round.

Reassuring for Al Ettifaq, they boast a strong record at home this term, with seven wins and six draws from 16 games - and, to go with it, a decent recent record against Al Ittihad.

Al Shehri’s men have won two and drawn one of their past five, although ironically their two wins have come in Jeddah. Either way, they won’t be daunted by the prospect of facing Fabinho and Co.

From celebrated teammates to competitive combatants, the jerseys may have changed but the duo’s appetite for success doesn’t waiver. European champions in tandem at Liverpool, Wijnaldum and Fabinho face-off with a different continental ambition on the line.